Association of apolipoprotein E polymorphism with age-related macular degeneration and Alzheimer's disease in south-western Hungary.

Abstract

Background: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and Alzheimer dementia (AD) show similarities (advanced age, formation of deposits of similar content). Recently apolipoprotein E 2 (apoE 2) has been associated with AMD, while apoE4 with AD. The question of coexistence, especially with respect to the genetic background has not been studied earlier. We investigated, therefore, the occurrence of AMD in AD patients and compared their lipid profile and apoE polymorphism.

Methods: - 49 AMD, 32 AD and 27 control patients were examined (risk factors, visual acuity, slit lamp biomicroscopy, fundoscopy). Following measurement of triglyceride, total and HDL cholesterol levels, apoE mutation analysis was performed.

Results: AMD was found in 8% of the cooperating AD patients. The prevalence of the apoE 4 isoforms in the AMD, AD and the control patients was 2%, 47% and 22%, while that of apoE 2 was 17%, 6% and 7%, respectively. The prevalence of apoE 3 isoform was 82%, 41% and 71%, respectively. Triglyceride, total and HDL cholesterol were in the reference range; however, AD patients were characterized by a lower total cholesterol value.

Conclusion: The new finding of this publication is the rare occurrence of AMD among AD patients. The higher frequency of apoE 4 among the AD population, and the higher frequency of apoE 2 among AMD patients in the South-Western region of Hungary confirms the findings of other investigators.